Tony Fabrizio, a pollster renowned for his support of former President Donald Trump, has forecasted a significant loss for Republican presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley in the forthcoming South Carolina primary.
What Happened: Fabrizio, who served as Trump’s chief pollster during the 2016 and 2020 elections, disseminated a private memo among supporters and donors, suggesting a landslide victory for the GOP front-runner in the South Carolina primary, reported The Hill.
The confidential memo reveals Trump’s anticipated “South Carolina smackdown” on Haley despite South Carolina being her home state. Fabrizio noted that Trump’s support in South Carolina is a substantial 64%, dwarfing Haley’s 25%.
The data from the pollster also showed that 58% of Trump’s supporters firmly committed to voting for him, a figure that starkly contrasts with Haley’s 18% support from her home state.
The memo also suggests that if Florida Governor Ron DeSantis withdraws from the race, his supporters would likely shift their allegiance to Trump over Haley.
Why It Matters: This forecast comes at a time when Haley has been trying to counter potential attacks from Trump. Earlier this week, the former UN ambassador’s campaign released a video highlighting Trump’s past praises for her work.
Trump and Haley also engaged in a public feud, with each party labeling the other as the biggest loser on Thursday. “Republicans lost the House, the Senate, and the White House. I crush Biden by double digits, while Trump barely squeaks by Biden on a good day,” Haley wrote on social media platform X.
Trump secured a decisive win in the first 2024 Republican presidential contest in Iowa on Monday, followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Haley, respectively.
According to Real Clear Politics, at the national level, Trump held 61.4% support among GOP voters, While Haley trailed with 12% support and DeSantis with 10.7%.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image By Michelmond Via Shutterstock
Image and article originally from www.benzinga.com. Read the original article here.